Dark Kuuchuu
by Sweet-Kioku
Summary: Kanna was always empty, until Kagura breathes life into her with talk of freedom. Kanna begins to dream of a better life...and a boy. Meanwhile, Naraku captures Kagome, and later makes another demon from his body! InuKag, KanSou, MirSan and maybe KaguSes.
1. The First Emotion

_**Dark Kuuchuu**_

**SUMMARY:** Kanna learns what it means to feel. She was always so numb, until a dream of freedom washed over her….and until she met a strange young boy from Kagome's era. InuKag, MirSan, and KanSou.

**A/N**: Welcome to _Dark Kuuchuu_. In case you're wondering, "kuuchuu" is Japanese for "sky" or "air." This story is mainly about Kanna and her dreams of freedom. It's also about her discoveries of emotions, such as love, hate, and sorrow. Of course, the story is also about Inuyasha and Kagome realizing their feelings, Miroku's willingness to change for Sango, and a strange adventure to another time. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Inuyasha.

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**CHAPTER ONE: The First Emotion**

The floor was cold. But she was used to it.

Kanna was used to a lot of things….including imprisonment. She was a quiet girl, who never questioned anything. She was used to Naraku's cruelty, Kagura's repeated attempts to escape, the coldness of her prison cell… and though she did not understand any of it, she did not bother to question it.

Kanna and Kagura didn't talk much. They shared a prison cell, but there wasn't much to talk about. And that besides, Kanna was not a very good conversationalist. The two prisoners kept all their feelings inside, and Kanna did this without really realizing she even had emotions.

An icy breeze came in through the barred window of the cell. The wind brushed against Kanna's pale face, swaying her silvery hair slightly. Her cheeks were tinted red from the chill of the room. Her pale blue eyes stared vacantly through the window, at the dark, bleak-looking sky. There were no stars out tonight.

Kagura sat silently in the corner, with a brown, tattered blanket wrapped around her shivering form. Winter had just reared its ugly face, bringing on the cold weather. Winter was the worst time of year for the two slaves of Naraku. It was almost unbearably cold every winter, and it made Kagura's wish for freedom even stronger than usual.

The silence of the room was like the still, icy surface of Kanna's mirror. Then, like a soul penetrating the surface of the mirror, Kagura spoke.

"Kanna, aren't you cold? There is an extra blanket over here, if you would like to have it," Kagura said in a soft voice.

Kanna did not speak, but only shook her head.

Kanna noticed a far-away look come over Kagura's face. A distant, dreamy sort of expression.

"You know," she said, just as distantly, "if we were free, we wouldn't have to suffer through such cold. We could be near a fire in a nice little hut, safe and warm."

Again, Kanna was silent. But she liked the idea of warmth.

"And we could also find little jobs to do, so we could earn some money. Then we could buy things, like warm food and even warmer clothing. We could have sushi, ramen….what I wouldn't give for good food…" Kagura was speaking more to herself than Kanna. But Kanna liked to listen anyway. Kagura had never talked like this before.

"In the summer, we could go outside and swim in the nice, cool water. We could feel the warm breeze directly on us, not through some ugly little window. And we could go wherever we wanted, instead of in this damp, cold room," Kagura said with disgust.

Kanna had never really taken an interest in anything. But this thing called _freedom_ had caught Kanna's attention. She imagined sitting near a warm fire, in a small but cozy hut, with a delicious bowl of hot soup in front of her. Just imagining it made her feel… almost _excited_.

She had never felt such a thing. She felt very jumpy inside, as if there was air caught in her chest. Perhaps she was holding her breath, waiting for her imagination to become reality.

This feeling of excitement was the first emotion Kanna had ever felt….and she was rather enjoying it.

"Please, Kagura…" Kanna said, in a barely audible whisper, "tell me more about this freedom."

Kagura looked at Kanna with a puzzled and startled expression. Kanna had never asked to hear more of anything. And she rarely spoke to begin with. But then again, Kagura had never really opened up to Kanna before, either.

"Well…." Kagura continued, still a little surprised, "we could befriend people, instead of them fearing us. The people would be nice, and help us get jobs and food. If we owned a hut, we could even plant ourselves a garden, with roses and other beautiful flowers. We could plant vegetables as well, so we could sell them and eat them, too.

"Oh, and perhaps we could plant fruit trees, too! Cherries and oranges….it would just be wonderful…." Kagura added quickly, the distant look replacing her surprise.

Kanna sighed pleasantly, thinking of the wonderful things she could do with freedom. The two prisoners sat, dreaming wishfully of a life outside the castle walls.

There was a long silence. Kanna looked over at her roommate. Kagura had fallen asleep.

As quietly as she could, Kanna crept over to where Kagura slept, and she found the extra, tattered blanket. She picked it up and began to drag it over to her own corner….when she changed her mind. Kagura was right…Kanna was very cold. She lay down near Kagura's feet, wrapped herself in the blanket, and Kanna fell asleep, after having felt her first emotion.

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Naraku did not sleep. He never slept. Instead, he had taken Kanna's mirror, and with it, he was watching someone else sleep….someone he had taken a strange interest in recently….

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**A/N:** This chapter was kind of short and boring, but it gets better, trust me. If you like where the story is going, please let me know and I will make the next chapter!

If you want more chapters, review please!


	2. Kanna's Dreams and Kagome's Capture

_**Dark Kuuchuu**_

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**A/N**: Yay, it's the next chapter! Big thanks to all my reviewers! You guys keep me writing!

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Inuyasha.

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**CHAPTER TWO: Kanna's Dreams and Kagome's Capture**

Her eyes slowly opened. The golden sunshine stung her eyes a bit, because it was so bright. After giving a yawn, she sat up to see Sango cooking what looked like fish over a fire.

"Good morning, Kagome!" Sango chirped with a smile.

"Morning, Sango," Kagome replied groggily. She had not slept very well, and so she was incredibly tired. She couldn't seem to get comfortable, and she had trouble falling asleep.

"Ah, Lady Kagome, you've awakened," Miroku walked over, smiling brightly. For whatever reason, everyone's smiles were irritating Kagome. She wasn't in the best of moods.

"So, do we have any leads on Naraku today?" Kagome asked, stifling another yawn and getting out of her sleeping bag.

"Not yet. Inuyasha went out into the forest to try and sniff something out, but he hasn't come back yet," replied Sango, as she finished cooking the fish.

_That's weird, _Kagome thought. _Inuyasha wouldn't have gone out unless he had already smelled a trace of Naraku. Maybe he did without telling anybody?_

Finally, breakfast was ready. Everyone helped themselves to the fish, saving at least three for Inuyasha. However, by the time everyone was finished, Inuyasha still had not returned.

"Do you think we should go look for him?" Kagome asked, starting to feel a little worried. _Maybe he's in some kind of trouble…_

"It might be best if we stayed here. I'm sure he'll be back soon," Miroku reasoned.

Still, it was not good enough for Kagome. "I think I'll go look for him," she offered, standing up.

"Are you sure, Kagome? Do you want us to go with you?" Shippo asked.

"No, stay here, in case he comes back," Kagome said. Miroku and Sango were a little uneasy about letting Kagome go out alone, but they were sure Inuyasha would find her if anything should happen.

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_It was very quiet. She could feel the cool, soft grass beneath her feet, and a gentle breeze lifted her pretty hair._

_In the forest, she could see a very bright red glow, and it appeared that black miasma was just pooling out of the woods. The sight made her very nervous, but she knew she needed to hurry and get away from the castle, lest Naraku might find her and punish her._

'_Where is Kagura?' she wondered. She had wanted Kagura to be with her when she escaped. But perhaps, she reasoned, Kagura had already gotten away from Naraku's grasp successfully. _

_She wished desperately that she would be able to do the same._

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"Inuyasha!" Kagome called. _Where is he?_ she wondered nervously. _What if something happened to him?_

Kagome walked through the peacefully quiet woods. Birds chirped tranquilly in the distance, the sun was shining…

..but Kagome could feel that something was wrong. She felt paranoid, and kept looking behind her back.

She suddenly heard a rustle in a bush behind her. "Inuyasha?" she called, quieter than before.

Silence returned. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, and a lump formed in her throat. _Is someone following me? _She looked around nervously, trying to survey the area. She was also trying to sense any jewel shards. There were none.

Every step she took felt like she was getting closer to something she didn't want to find. Not only did she think that someone was following her, but she also had the sudden feeling that maybe she didn't want to find Inuyasha……

_But…of course I want to find him! We need to keep looking for Naraku and the jewel shards! _Kagome thought uneasily.

But she couldn't help feeling a strong desire to turn back. She had only been walking about five minutes. She wasn't that far from where she and the others had set up camp. Besides, Inuyasha could take care of himself. He had the Tetsusaiga, and he had demonic strength.

Biting her lip, Kagome began to turn around. As she did, she saw, off to her side, something she hadn't noticed earlier. She gasped, her eyes widened and filled with tears, and her legs became weak. Her heart seemed to stop pumping. She couldn't believe her eyes.

She couldn't move. She was paralyzed. And her stillness gave someone an opportunity to kidnap her.

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_Without really thinking, she began to run into the forest. She needed to get away from the castle. All these things she had kept inside……she felt so full of anger, sorrow, hurt, misery…she needed to let everything out, she needed to cry and run and scream._

_So she began to. She screamed as loud as she could, and the sound echoed through the woods. Tears dripped down her face, and her chest pumped the foggy air fiercely, and her legs stung with fatigue. She could hear footsteps behind her, and it only made her screams louder. The wind whipped her hair all about her face, and soon, the hair began to obstruct her vision. Her pure silver hair began to turn a blinding white. A sudden flash forced a gasp from her throat._

_The blinding white light steadily began to fade. Her hair was no longer being whipped by the wind. Her breathing was still quick, and she was still afraid of whoever had been chasing her. But she was no longer running. And the person was no longer chasing._

_She blinked several times to clear her vision. The white light continued to dissipate. Her heart began to slow down. A sudden feeling of relaxation completely consumed her. She felt as thought she were floating, but her feet were still on the ground. _

_She looked around to find the source of the white light. In the middle of the woods, at very center of the light, she saw the dark silhouette of a human. _

_Being naturally shy, she timidly approached the figure. She felt warmth emitting from the person. 'Is this Kagura?' she wondered._

_She then answered her own question. 'No, it can't be. Kagura has already escaped. And besides……it looks like…a boy?'_

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Inuyasha's ears twitched. He thought he had heard a muffled yell.

"Inuyasha, is something wrong?" the woman in his arms asked quietly.

"I…I think I should go, before the others get worried," Inuyasha said uneasily. He smelled salt. Tears.

"Inuyasha! It's been so long since we've been able to be together like this……why must you go back to them so soon?" the woman asked sweetly. She was trying to feign innocent sadness. Unfortunately for her, Inuyasha wasn't buying it. She could tell he wasn't, so she began to cling to his arm.

"I have to go, alright?" Inuyasha snapped. His heart was pounding now. Kagome's scent was mingled with fear and tears and other emotions. Not just anybody's scent. _Kagome's._

"Inuyasha! I tire of allowing you to go off to your foolish friends whenever you want. I can't let you go this time! I just can't!" There was real sadness in the woman's eyes now. Her tears were mingling with Kagome's scent!

"Kikyo, stop crying! I have to go! I can't stay here! Kagome is in trouble!" Inuyasha barked at her.

Kikyo was so startled that she let go of Inuyasha's arm. And he began to run.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo sobbed after him.

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_So…she had concluded that the silhouette was definitely that of a boy. He looked about her height. _

_Slowly, she began to walk forward. With every step her heart pounded. Not from fear…but from…hope, maybe? She wasn't sure. _

_She was definitely hoping, however, that this boy could help her escape. She knew Naraku was here somewhere…and she was afraid. The light and the warmth that came from him……it was……comforting. Just like when Kagura had spoken of freedom…it not only made her feel excited, but also hopeful. Her second emotion…hope. She could feel more hope now ever than before…now that she was so close to this strange, unknown boy._

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Her scent was gone. Kagome's scent had vanished.

He felt horrible. He hated himself. He had not been there to protect Kagome.

_She must have seen Kikyo and I kissing and got upset. She probably went home, _he thought sadly. His chest hurt, because he knew he had probably hurt Kagome worse than ever. One thing he was sure of was that Kagome had seen him. He could feel her presence, smell her tears…

…and he had to leave.

Kikyo had gone in a fit of anger.

Inuyasha could still hear her voice…

"_Inuyasha, I love you," Kikyo whispered softly. She kissed him, moving her tongue slowly around his mouth, and then rested her head on his shoulder. He held her tightly._

"_Kikyo…I…" Inuyasha began. But then he heard a muffled cry…_

Kagome must have seen them kissing then. Why couldn't Kagome have spied on them earlier, when they were just cuddling?

Inuyasha decided to go back to camp…and he wondered how he would be able to tell the others what had happened.

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_Kanna was so close to the boy now. The light had faded. She could see his face._

_He had brown eyes, tinted with emerald, and black, messy hair. He definitely looked her age._

"_Hello," she said in a feeble whisper. She looked into the boy's eyes to try and see his emotions……and she saw the purest love. But was it…for **her**?_

_The boy did not respond to her greeting, but simply wrapped his arms around her. He gently placed one hand on the back of her head and pulled her closer to him. His fingers were entangled in her silvery hair._

"_Who……are you?" Kanna whispered, pulling away and looking at the boy. Her eyes were full of quiet curiosity, and her cheeks were tinted with pink._

_The boy only smiled…_

…and Kanna's eyes shot opened and she gasped.

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**A/N:** That was a long chapter. Hope you enjoyed! And yes, I know that Inuyasha just made out with Kikyo…I know it sucks……but don't worry, kiddies! Kagome and Inuyasha will be together in the end. REVIEW FOR MORE CHAPTERS! I want at least five reviews before I update again!


	3. The Foul Kiss

_**Dark Kuuchuu**_

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**A/N: **I am bursting with new ideas! Sadly, these wonderful new ideas will not be written down until later chapters. But, enjoy this chapter anyway!

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Inuyasha.

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**CHAPTER THREE: The Foul Kiss**

"Tell me, Kagura…" he asked in a low growl, "what was it exactly that I asked you to do?"

"You told me to kidnap the girl and attack Inuyasha," Kagura replied quietly.

"And what did you do?"

"I kidnapped the girl, Master."

"Kagura, when I give you orders I intend for them to be done without any faults or excuses. You kidnapped the girl, but did not attack the filthy hanyou. The plan was to wound Inuyasha badly enough to put him out of action for a while, giving me a chance to better hide my castle," Naraku hissed in a voice of deadly calm. "Why did you not attack?"

"Master, he was preoccupied with the priestess Kikyo," Kagura said, a slight tone of annoyance in her voice. "He did not notice that Kagome was present, nor did he notice when I captured her."

"That doesn't mean he won't come looking for her once he realizes she's gone!" Naraku shouted. A large root slithered out of his robes and thrashed at Kagura, hitting her in the face. Kagura fell, putting her weight on her knees and hands.

"I am sick and tired of you and Kanna's unreliability. I created the two of you to do my bidding, not to do whatever you feel is convenient," Naraku scolded, a look of loathing on his face as he stared down at her.

Kanna sat quietly in the corner of the cell, watching sadly as Kagura was being punished for her disobedience. She suddenly felt a strange feeling course through her as she watched Naraku hit Kagura again… it was as though her blood were boiling. She wanted to hit Naraku, make him feel the pain that Kagura and Kanna had suffered all these years……

Her third emotion...hate.

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Kanna's eyes glanced over to the corner opposite of her, where the girl seemed to be stirring. Kanna vaguely remembered once trying to steal the girl's soul…but it was too pure, and the soul would not stay in Kanna's mirror.

Kanna looked at the girl with her fourth emotion…sympathy. Kanna knew that the girl would hate it here, just as she and Kagura did.

And suddenly, Kanna's mind gave a jolt, and she began recalling a dream she had had only last night. She had woken up in a cold sweat, and had been unable to remember the dream…until now.

The face of that boy took over her mind. Who was he? Had they ever met? Had she dreamed of the future? Would this boy help her escape?

Kanna blinked confusedly as her mind exploded with questions. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not notice Kagome awaken.

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"…and because of this, I have decided to take another portion of myself to create a new creature, another demon, just as you, Kagura…only better and more reliable," a dark voice was saying.

"What? You don't have enough strength to do such a thing!" shouted a female voice. Was that…Kagura?

There was suddenly a resounding slap, and then a thud. "Kagura!" shouted another female voice, though this one sounded young. Kanna, perhaps?

Kagome's mind was foggy, and she could not decipher all the sounds she was hearing. She only knew that she was cold, and her wrists and legs were bound together tightly.

She heard wicked laughter…and then a small chuckle…footsteps approaching her…

"So…you've finally awakened," sneered a cold voice above her.

Kagome's eyes snapped open to meet the cold, heartless eyes of Naraku. She gasped in shock, finally realizing that she must be inside Naraku's castle.

He laughed again upon seeing her startled expression. "You're very lucky that my so-called servant caught you when she did…if you had stood there watching Inuyasha and Kikyo much longer, you might have seen something far worse than kissing," he said, laughing almost maniacally now.

Kagome's breathing was fast and shallow as she began to remember what had happened…had Inuyasha and Kikyo done more than kissing after she had been captured? Her eyes welled up with tears; she didn't want to think about it.

"Oh, don't cry, Kagome," Naraku said with a smirk, and he suddenly pulled her up by the shoulders, startling her out of her thoughts.

"I'll take care of you from now on… and when Inuyasha comes to try and save you…" he laughed wickedly before continuing, "I'll be there to kill him."

Kagome took a sharp intake of breath, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.

"W-what do you mean…you'll take care of me? And you can't kill Inuyasha! He'll—he'll destroy you, and I'll go back with him!" Kagome shouted, nervously defiant.

"Silly, silly girl…" Naraku muttered distractedly, suddenly running his grimy fingers through her raven hair. "You don't need that filthy half-breed anymore. You've got me." He smirked again, and this time, what looked like a stare of lust flashed in his eyes.

Before Kagome could tell him that Inuyasha was not a filthy half-breed, Naraku suddenly jerked her head forward and smashed his lips into hers.

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"INUYASHA, YOU BAKA, HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?" Sango screeched at him.

"Listen to me, okay? I didn't know she was there—" Inuyasha attempted to explain, but was cut off by Miroku.

"What exactly were you doing that made you so distracted, Inuyasha?" Miroku scolded, glaring at Inuyasha suspiciously.

"I was—gah! It doesn't matter, Kagome's gone and she took the jewel shards with her! That's all ya need to know!" Inuyasha barked, trying to control his temper.

"How are you so sure that she went back home, huh? She might've been kidnapped by demons or something!" Shippo cried frantically.

Inuyasha was silenced immediately. He hadn't thought of that, and he gulped, which was practically his death sentence.

"YOU STUPID—STUPID—STUPID—STUPID—" with each "stupid," Sango whacked Inuyasha on the head with her hirakotsu.

"Sango, just leave him! I'm sure the guilt will get to him sooner or later," Miroku said, trying to calm Sango down.

Sango finally stopped beating Inuyasha, now that he was barely conscious on the ground.

"Well, we need to go look for her, and this jerk is coming with us!" Sango shouted, still furious with the careless hanyou.

"Of course I am! I'm the one with the nose; without me, you won't be able to find her!" Inuyasha snapped, slowly getting back up with a grunt of pain.

To further prove his point, Inuyasha sniffed at the air, but caught absolutely no whiff of Kagome at all. This made him increasingly nervous; if he couldn't find Kagome, the others would positively kill him.

"Well, do you have her scent?" Shippo asked impatiently.

"I'm workin' on it!" Inuyasha growled in reply, sniffing the air again. Still, not even the slightest trace of Kagome's scent. He didn't feel too worried, though; Kagome had probably gone home…after what she had seen…

_Damn her! She wasn't supposed to see that! She's probably so mad that she'll sit me as soon as I show up at her house! _Inuyasha thought agitatedly.

"Inuyasha, do you have the scent of Kagome or not?" Miroku questioned, shaking Inuyasha free of his troubling thoughts.

"Um…no. But I bet anything she's at home, safe and sound!" Inuyasha added quickly, as the angry group advanced on him.

"In fact, I think I'll go through the well right now and bring her back," Inuyasha said even more quickly, and with that, he turned and bounded off into the forest, feeling concerned for Kagome.

_She'll probably be in her room…crying…oh damn, I really screwed up! _Inuyasha thought, picturing Kagome crying in her bedroom. _She probably won't even come back with me…fuck!_

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Kanna looked at Kagome, who was shaking in the corner, having just thrown up. Kanna felt the sympathy within her stronger than ever. Though she could not imagine what it must have felt like to have Naraku's filthy lips upon hers, Kanna knew it must have been horrible.

Kanna turned her head and looked down at the unconscious Kagura lying before her. Naraku had hit her so hard that she had blacked out…

Things were getting so much worse…

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**A/N:** There you have it, folks! Another chapter completed. Again, I want five reviews before I continue! And by the way…

"…_and because of this, I have decided to take another portion of myself to create a new creature, another demon, just as you, Kagura…only better and more reliable." _

**This is a major hint as to what will happen in later chapters! **I bid you all farewell!


	4. A Farewell Gift for Kanna

_**Dark Kuuchuu**_

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**A/N: **Okay, once again, new ideas have implanted themselves into my brain, but I still can't add them in the story until future chapters. Damn! I have even thought up Kagome's death-scene. (No, Kagome doesn't die, don't worry. But she comes real close.)

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I will now reply to my reviewers.

**0o0o0o Reviews from Chapter One – 0o0o0o**

**Jewel Of Souls – **I agree. Kanna is a lot like Kagura, but Kanna hides her feelings more than Kagura. Thanks for the review!

**animemistress419 – **Thanks! I try to update whenever I get new ideas (which, lucky for my readers, happens quite often.)

**Inu luvz Kag not that claypot – **First of all, I have to say that I absolutely love your screen name. Second, I'm glad you like it! Personally, I thought the first chapter was boring, lol. Thanks!

**0o0o0o Reviews from Chapter Two – 0o0o0o**

**Jewel Of Souls – **Yeah, Kanna's dream kept getting in the way of the other parts of the story, but I like mixing up parts of the story. It keeps the reader reading. Thanks!

**kagome2001 – **Glad you like! Thanks!

**animemistress419 – **Yep, I tried keep the story interesting by adding some mystery in there. I'll update every chance I get!

**Kogasgirl142 – **Will do! Thanks!

**0o0o0o Reviews from Chapter Three – 0o0o0o**

**Jewel Of Souls – **Kissing Sesshomaru would be the hottest thing to ever happen to anybody. You know, I've been thinking about pairing Sesshomaru up with Kagura, but I'm not sure if I should. What do you think?

**animemistress419 – **Thanks again!

**Ayo-Iko – **Thanks!

**Inu luvz Kag not that claypot – **Naraku is definitely filthy. (shudders). Thanks a ton!

**The Violent Tomboy – **Yeah, I really like Kanna. She's a beautiful character, and I like being able to use her in the story. Thanks!

**inusgirl4life – **How I wish I could do a rape scene! Unfortunately, due to the way the story is going, and the new rules at FF, I cannot do a rape scene. But I'm going to try to do a lemon somewhere in the story… however, there's no guarantee it will be a good one. Once again, this is because of the new rules at FF. If I do a lemon, it will have to be poorly detailed, or I might get my story removed (horrors!). Thanks for your review!

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I'm finally done with the review responses. I definitely won't respond to reviews every chapter, so don't get used to it. Thank you to all my reviewers! And finally, I give you chapter four of _Dark Kuuchuu_!

**NOTICE: If you already read this chapter, I apologize, but you may want to read it again, because I rewrote it. I felt that the original fourth chapter lacked a lot of necessary detail. Don't worry, the main plot of the chapter has not been changed; I just detailed it a lot more and added a few things here and there. So, if you've already read it, please read it again!**

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR: A Farewell Gift for Kanna**

Her first kiss…stolen by that bastard Naraku.

She had wanted Inuyasha to be the first one to ever kiss her…she had hoped that he had forgotten about Kikyo…

For three months, there had been no sign of Kikyo, and each day, Inuyasha and Kagome were getting closer. And then…all of a sudden…

…Kagome found them kissing in the woods.

Kagome could not sleep. She was shaking and sweating and crying. Her stomach was twisting inside her, as if she was going to vomit again.

_I bet…I bet Inuyasha hasn't even noticed that I'm gone. I bet he's off with Kikyo, and he's telling her that he loves her…_Kagome thought as a new wave of sobs and tears washed over her. She knew that thinking negatively was the worst possible thing she could do at the moment, but she thought negatively anyway.

Droplets of rain fell into the cell from the barred window. It was horribly cold, and Kagome's cheeks were pink from the harsh wind. Her wrists and ankles were sore from where the cords were tied tightly. She had tried to loosen them, but to no avail.

Kagura was still unconscious, and Kanna had fallen asleep at Kagura's side. Or so it appeared.

* * *

Kanna listened as hard as she could, her ear pressed to the stone wall. Naraku was arguing with himself again in the next room, as usual.

"Tonight, I shall make Kagome mine... I'm better than that foolish Inuyasha, and Kagome doesn't need him anyway… No, dammit, I can't! This infatuation is disgusting! But I want her…" at this point Naraku growled loudly. Even the miko looked up from her crying; it was so loud. But then she disregarded it and continued sobbing.

Kanna, however, kept listening.

"That does it! I'm going to get her now…" Naraku muttered. Kanna gasped. She knew how sick Naraku was. She knew what would happen.

"Kagome! You must pretend to be asleep!" Kanna whispered quickly. She knew it wouldn't make much difference if Kagome was asleep or not, but it was worth a try.

Kagome looked over, startled, to see Kanna sitting up and staring at her with an urgent sort of look. "Hurry!" Kanna hissed.

"But…why?" Kagome asked curiously, sniffling.

"Trust me! Lay down! He's coming!" Kanna whispered, and with that, Kanna laid down and shut her eyes, looking convincingly asleep.

"But—" Kagome began, but suddenly the door of the cell opened with a bang that made Kanna wince noticeably.

A flood of light from the torches in the corridor suddenly lit up the dark cell, nearly dazzling Kagome. She gasped and looked up to see a bare-chested Naraku glowering down at her. His cold purple eyes seemed to bore into her, and she could see anger in them. He walked briskly towards her and grabbed her by the arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kagome shouted at him, struggling.

He dragged her across the cell and yanked out the door, ignoring her protests and struggles. He shut the cell door with a slam, enclosing Kanna and Kagura in darkness once more.

Kanna stared at the door with her fifth emotion…worry.

* * *

Inuyasha stood, his heart thudding, his clothes soaked, before the well. The rain pounded down on him, as if punishing him for not protecting Kagome. He swallowed hard. Would Kagome be there at home, waiting for him with hurt in her eyes? Or would he find her somewhere else…wounded by a demon?

Inuyasha took a deep intake of breath, in an effort to calm his nerves. It didn't work. His heart still pounding, he jumped into the well, with lightning flashing overhead and the thunder growling above.

* * *

Kagome was thrown onto a hard dirt floor of a dimly lit chamber down the corridor from Kanna and Kagura's cell. Naraku slammed the door shut and looked at her hungrily. Kagome let out a shrill whimper.

"What's the matter, Kagome? Afraid of being alone with me?" Naraku asked, smirking cruelly at her frightened expression.

He knelt on the floor beside her, and sat her upright on her knees. She squirmed, and to try and keep her still, he kissed her, forcing his nasty tongue into her mouth. His slimy tongue wriggled inside her mouth like a disgusting worm.

The tears started afresh. Kagome began to scream and struggle, fighting to get away from him.

Suddenly, Naraku yanked the hair on the back of Kagome's head painfully hard, forcing her head upward. She let out a cry of pain, and then a cry of surprise as Naraku began kissing her exposed neck.

Kagome squirmed, trying to wriggle out of his grasp, all the while sobbing and shrieking. He was making her feel extremely uncomfortable, and she didn't like it. She cried harder at the thought of Inuyasha…she thought of how he would never kiss her, never hold her, never want to be with her, especially now that Naraku's filth was all over her. The tears stung at her eyes, blinding her. _Inuyasha…I wanted it to be you…I love you…_

Kagome let out a scream as Naraku began trailing his sharp claw down the side of her throat, and a trail of blood followed the sharp nail. He dragged the claw slowly, and a sharp sting of pain followed the trail of blood. Kagome stared up at the ceiling in shock, and her body was suddenly completely still. Her breath was caught in her chest and she felt dizzy. She could feel the blood sliding down her neck. He laughed maliciously, dragging the claw slower still, and Kagome, sort of overcoming her shock, began to struggle again. His claw came down to the area between her breasts, where he began to slice her blouse in half.

"NO! I HATE YOU! GET AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE, LET ME GO!" Kagome screamed. Just as Naraku was about to rip off the rest of her blouse, a pink glow blasted him away from her, throwing him against the wall. Kagome let out a wail of desperation…she needed to get out of here, she needed Inuyasha to hold her. But she knew that her little display of miko power had probably infuriated Naraku…and she was right.

Naraku slowly got up, and began advancing toward her again. Kagome squirmed away from him until her back was against the wall, and she began to panic.

"How _dare_ you refuse me! YOU WILL PAY!" Naraku shouted at her. He grabbed her by the hair on top of her head and dragged her down a corridor. Kagome shrieked with pain, struggling. She tried to hook her foot onto something, anything, but there was nothing to grab onto. The smooth stone walls were illuminated by torchlight, and Kagome would have been able to see any cracks or ledges in the wall, had there been any. He opened up the door to Kagura and Kanna's cell and tossed her in.

"Wait here while I think of a way to kill you, wench!" Naraku growled as he slammed the door shut once more.

Kagome was shaking and sobbing, louder than earlier.

"Kagome…are you alright? What did he do?" Kanna asked softly, her gentle, pale blue eyes filled with concern.

Kagome looked at Kanna for a moment. She had never acted this way before…

"He tried to rape me…and I refused him, so now he's going to kill me…" Kagome said in a hoarse, shaky whisper.

Kanna opened her mouth to say something, but Kagome cut her off as she heard footsteps approaching. There wasn't much time.

"Kanna…take the jewel shards around my neck…escape from the castle and bring them to Inuyasha…he needs them," Kagome whispered, shaking.

Kagome noticed a look of sudden, inexplicable panic on Kanna's face. Kanna jumped up and ran to the window, tugging on Kagome's arm.

"Kagome, you're not going to die! I'll help you escape! Come on, the window—"

"—isn't big enough for me to get through, Kanna. Please, take the jewel shard…quickly…" Kagome said hurriedly.

For a moment, it seemed as though the world had gone completely still. Kanna looked at Kagome with a very strange look. Kagome had never seen the young demon girl ever show any kind of emotion. But suddenly…there appeared to be what almost looked like sadness in Kanna's eyes. Slowly, Kanna knelt down beside Kagome, and gave her…a hug.

Startled, Kagome stared at the back of Kanna's head in a confused way. _Maybe Kanna isn't as cold-hearted as everyone thinks…_

Slowly, Kanna pulled away from the hug, meanwhile gently tugging the jewel shard off Kagome's neck. "I promise you won't die Kagome…I'll get Inuyasha, and he'll come and set all of us free…" Kanna told Kagome in a determined whisper.

Just then, Naraku burst in.

He stormed in, grabbed Kagome, and, once again, began to drag her out the door.

Kagome gave Kanna a soft, sad look, and mouthed the word, "Good-bye."

Naraku left the room without shutting the door, he was so angry.

This was the chance Kanna had been dreaming of.

* * *

"Ms. Higurashi?" Inuyasha called into the quiet house as he came through the door. Her heard a soft dripping noise and looked down to see that a puddle had already formed at his feet; he was soaking wet from the downpour.

"Oh, hello Inuyasha! I'm in the kitchen!" Kagome's mother called brightly.

With a dark cloud of worry hanging over his head, Inuyasha slowly walked to the kitchen, sniffing the air for Kagome's scent…

Inuyasha entered the kitchen to the smell of food, bit it didn't make him the least bit hungry. His heart thudded loudly with fear as he realized Kagome was not here. Her scent was nowhere to be found.

"Isn't Kagome with you?" Ms. Higurashi asked, looking around behind Inuyasha.

"That's what I came here to ask you," Inuyasha said weakly. There was suddenly a very large lump in his throat.

Ms. Higurashi looked at him, startled. "Well…don't you know where she is?" she asked in a slightly panicky voice.

"…No…" Inuyasha said, his eyes glued to the floor.

This was what he had been afraid of. Shippo had been right.

Kagome had been taken from them. And it was all his fault…

Heart pounding, Inuyasha bounded for the door. "Don't worry, Ms. Higurashi, I'll find her, and from now on, I'll always be there to protect her!" Inuyasha vowed as the door flew open. Inuyasha leapt into the well to begin his search for Kagome, his mind dripping with fear and worry.

* * *

**A/N:** Hooray! Another chapter complete! Hope you all liked it! Notice that Kanna has the jewel now…does this mean she can get through the well? And who will she meet when she gets there?...

Find out by reviewing!

Well, I hope you all liked the revised version of the chapter. I do!


	5. Kanna's Escape and Kagome's Replacement

_**Dark Kuuchuu**_

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**A/N: **Alright people, sorry it took so long! I had some writer's block and got stuck right in the middle of the chapter. But to make up for it, the chapter is nice and long!

**Listen, I modified the fourth chapter, so in case you haven't read the new version, I suggest you go read it again. I just really didn't like how little detail there was in the chapter, so I fixed it.**

Well, I simply live for drama, and this chapter is full of it! So enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE: Kanna's Escape and Kagome's Replacement**

She hurried back into the cell to wake Kagura. She had to know what was going on. She had to escape with her.

"Kagura! Wake up!" Kanna hissed in a hurried panic. There were tears, real, actual tears in her pale eyes. She was afraid for Kagome, but she knew she had to escape, and she had to do it now. She knew she might never get another chance.

Kagura's ruby eyes slowly opened. She groaned slightly, rubbing her head. "Kanna…what's ha—" Kagura stopped short as she looked up at Kanna. Slowly Kagura sat up, staring at Kanna, her eyes wide. "Kanna…are you crying?" she asked, bewildered.

Kanna had no time to explain. "Kagura, the door is open! We must take this opportunity; it may never come again," Kanna said, pulling on Kagura's arm desperately.

Kagura's eyes widened even more at the open cell door. Naraku was nowhere in sight.

Kagura jumped up, grabbed Kanna's hand, and the two ran out of the cell. They hurried through the confusing corridors, running as fast as they could.

Kanna could hear the blood rushing in her ears, she could feel her breath catching in her chest, and the beating of her heart matched the pounding of their footsteps. Kanna was feeling her sixth emotion……fear.

They ran for what felt like hours; their throats and mouths dry, their legs aching; they could scarcely breathe by the time they finally reached the doors to the outside world.

* * *

Kagome let out a muffled scream as Naraku shut the door to another chamber; in this chamber, there was a small pool of black, impure water. Kagome's mind was blank with fear…was this really it? Was this really the end?

"You should know a little something about me, wench…" Naraku hissed in a deranged sort of tone, "I don't like it when people disobey me."

And suddenly, he picked Kagome up and threw her into the water, forcing her under, holding her there. He was going to drown her.

Kagome was too afraid to even think of holding her breath. She couldn't see; the water was all black. Bubbles poured from her mouth as she silently screamed Inuyasha's name, begging him to come and save her. She never got to tell him so many things, she never got to apologize for all the times she had yelled at him or called him a jerk, she never got to tell him how much she cared about him, how scared she became when Inuyasha was injured, how much she loved him.

She choked on the murky water, her lungs screaming for air as her head throbbed painfully. She could barely hear Naraku above her, laughing wickedly as she struggled to reach the surface. But Naraku was too strong; he held her down with both hands, and soon Kagome felt a sort of electric shock running through her body. Naraku squeezed her shoulders harder, and the pain of the shocking feeling doubled. Naraku was sending shots of pain throughout her body at his touch, and her lungs began to take in the water, trying so hard to breathe. Kagome's headache was worsening as well. She could barely see through the water. Her vision was dimming; she knew then that this would be the end.

* * *

He had caught Kagome's scent. It was mingled with blood and extremely strong waves of fear.

He had caught Naraku's scent. It was veiled in glee.

There had been no time to tell the others. The second Inuyasha had returned to Sengoku Jedai he had smelled Kagome's alarmingly terrified scent. He had also smelled a hint of death, which scared the hell out of him.

_He's hurting her,_ Inuyasha thought in a panic as he raced through the forest, making twists and turns to follow the scents.

_Dammit, why? First Naraku takes Kikyo away and now Kagome…..this can't be happening…I won't let her die!_

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha screamed out, his voice echoing through the dark, cold woods.

The wind whipped through his silver hair as he ran. Although he didn't notice it, far above him two female demons were riding away on a feather, desperate to escape.

* * *

"Is this…right?" the girl asked timidly, her voice shaking. Her body was shaking as well from the cold, wintry wind that was whipping at her face.

"What do you mean, Kanna? We are escaping Naraku's enslavement, there's nothing wrong about it," Kagura told the girl shortly.

"I don't mean our escape…I'm talking about the miko, Kagome. We should have helped her…" Kanna said, her voice shaking still more violently. "We must go back, Kagura!" Kanna shouted suddenly.

"No! If we go back now, we will only be punished and imprisoned once again. What is more important to you, Kanna…your freedom or the life of one miko?" Kagura snapped, turning around to stare at Kanna.

Kanna's eyes widened, and she looked away. She stared down at the ground, so far below. Kagura turned back around to steer the feather as Kanna wept silently over the loss of Kagome…her…

…friend.

* * *

"Do you think Inuyasha was able to convince her to come back?" the taijiya asked nervously.

"It seems doubtful. Kagome was obviously very hurt at what she saw, and Inuyasha would have to make up an excellent excuse to get her to come back," the houshi replied, poking at the fire before him.

"Inuyasha should just forget about his pride and admit he has feelings for Kagome! He's already made it more than obvious!" the kitsune said irritably, petting the neko-demon Kirara.

"We all know that Inuyasha has feelings for Kagome, but he also seems to still have feelings for Kikyo as well," Miroku replied wisely. "I have told Inuyasha many times that he needs to choose, and his excuse is that he doesn't want to."

"But he needs to. This whole situation is hurting Kagome more than anyone else," Sango said sympathetically. She knew how it felt to love someone when they didn't love you back.

"If Inuyasha doesn't do anything soon, Kagome might just get so upset that she'll leave us forever!" Shippo pouted, still stroking the sleeping Kirara.

"She might have already done so," Miroku replied softly, looking in the direction of the well. The others looked as well…only to feel a dark presence approaching, and the scent of clay and gravedirt carried on the wind.

* * *

They landed softly on the grass, where they were miles away from the castle.

"This is where we part, Kanna. I must seek shelter, and I believe I know who to go to…" Kagura said, thinking of Sesshomaru.

"Kagome asked me to deliver this piece of the jewel to Inuyasha," Kanna said softly, holding up the jewel.

"Well, you are near to the village where that old miko Kaede lives. Kaede knows Inuyasha, and she will surely tell you where to find him. But do you really think it is wise to give Inuyasha such a large fragment of the jewel?" Kagura asked the girl, raising a brow.

"Whether it is wise or foolish, it was Kagome's last wish, and I will carry it out for her," Kanna said in a soft, distant voice.

Kagura nodded respectfully and she prepared to toss out her feather. "Farewell, Kanna," she said quietly, and with that, she threw the feather and it grew large enough to seat her. She leapt on and flew off into the sky, where the sun was setting.

"Farewell…….Kagura…" Kanna replied softly, pausing to look up at the sky and watch Kagura's silhouette until it vanished.

* * *

"_So…you'll always be there to protect her, will you?" the woman asked in a voice of deadly calm. Her voice shook and her eyes were shining with tears._

"_Please I—I didn't—I mean I…she just—" he stuttered nervously, desperately trying to find the right words. His throat kept getting tighter and tighter, and his eyes were burning with tears._

"_You gave me your word! You promised me you would protect my little girl!" the woman cried, tears falling down her cheeks as her voice cracked. She turned away from him and began to cry into her hands._

"_No, no! I—I couldn't! She j-just…I…p-please…I-I'm sorry…but—she…" he couldn't bring himself to finish. Nothing he could say would change anything. His throat felt as though it had closed completely. His chest ached with so much pain…guilt…_

"_What you have done is…is…unforgivable. Leave my house," the woman choked out._

"_Please! J-just hear me out—she r-ran and—I didn't know!" he cried desperately._

"_LEAVE, INUYASHA! DON'T EVER COME BACK TO THIS PLACE!" the woman turned to face him as she shouted at him._

_Far away, he could hear her screaming for him…he could see her blood, he could smell it…and it was all his fault…she had trusted him…they all had trusted him…_

"_INUYASHA, HELP ME! PLEASE!" she screamed. Her cries echoed in his head until he got so dizzy that he was sure he was going to throw up. His whole body began to shake as he began to cry. She was screaming so loudly…the scent of blood was so strong…_

"_LEAVE, INUYASHA!" Ms. Higurashi screeched, her eyes red and blotchy from crying._

"_Inuyasha…help…m-me…" she was gasping for breath now…_

_Her blood was everywhere…all over the Higurashi home, all over him…it was his fault…it was his fault…_

"KAGOME!"

Inuyasha shot up from the ground and looked around wildly. _What the hell happened?_ his mind screamed.

He could feel his eyes still itching with tears from his dream. He also felt a trickle of something warm on his forehead…

He placed a finger to his forehead and stared, stunned, at the blood. He let out another anguished yell before he realized it was his own blood, not Kagome's.

He looked to the left to see a very large rock with a spot of blood on it. Finally, he remembered what had happened…he had been so lost in his worry for Kagome that he had tripped over the rock and fallen to the ground, unconscious.

His breathing suddenly became much heavier. He had lost Kagome's scent, Naraku's scent……he had lost all possible leads…panic overtook him.

_What if…the dream…_ he wondered frantically. His eyes widened and his heart raced. He could scarcely breathe, he was so afraid.

"No, she'll be fine!" Inuyasha shouted loudly to no one. But he knew it wasn't true…he had lost their scents…he had let her slip through his fingers again.

With another cry of agony, Inuyasha fell to the ground, leaning heavily on a tree. He whimpered. What was he going to tell the others? They were going to kill him…

But more importantly…what was he going to do? Kagome was in danger, and he was sitting against a tree…lost and helpless.

And even worse…what if she was—

"NO." Inuyasha barked sternly, although his voice shook. He sniffed the air fiercely, desperately trying to pick up her scent, wishing more than anything that he could just catch the sweet scent of ichigos and banira on the wind.

But there was nothing.

He leaned against the tree, his heart throbbing excruciatingly hard, and quietly allowed himself to cry.

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

The old miko rose up from her seat on the floor and went to open the door. She let out a startled cry.

"You wicked demon! What business have ye here?" Kaede cried, staring at Kanna angrily.

"I bring you no harm, Lady Kaede. I only wish to find Inuyasha," Kanna said softly and as gently as she could.

"Oh? And what do ye want with him?" Kaede questioned, still suspicious.

"Please, I promise you that I am not here for a fight. I am only here on…Kagome's wishes…" Kanna added slowly, looking away.

"Ye know the whereabouts of Kagome?" Kaede gasped.

"I do, but by now it…it won't matter. I must find Inuyasha," Kanna added quickly as she felt her eyes sting.

"Of course it will matter! Where is Kagome?" Kaede asked anxiously. She certainly found it strange that Kanna would do a favor for anyone…but there was definitely a different sort of aura around Kanna at the moment. It was almost kind.

"She…she is in Naraku's castle. But by now I fear that any attempts at rescuing her will be…t-too late…" Kanna stammered, swallowing hard.

"What do ye mean, child?" Kaede asked, her eyes widening with worry.

"I fear that…Naraku has already…" Kanna shut her eyes tightly, trying to compose herself. She tried to continue, but she simply couldn't, so instead she said, "Please, I must know where Inuyasha is!"

"He is out looking for Kagome! What did Kagome wish for ye to do with him?" Kaede asked gently. Kaede felt sure Kanna was trying to say that Naraku had killed Kagome…but why? What had Kagome done to him?

"She asked me to bring him the shards of the jewel. …Where was the last place he searched for Kagome?" Kanna asked uneasily.

Kaede gave Kanna a strange look. Kanna had not performed any treacherous acts; she was innocently trying to deliver the shikon jewel to Inuyasha. This was definitely a first for Kanna.

"I last saw him at the Bone-Eater's Well," Kaede replied softly.

"Thank you," Kanna said, bowing slightly, and she quickly left in search for Inuyasha.

Kaede knew she had to hurry and tell the others what had happened.

* * *

"Kikyo, what are you doing here?" Miroku asked, raising a brow at the woman of clay.

"I have heard about what has happened. I know of Kagome's capture," Kikyo replied.

"W-what are you talking about? Inuyasha went to get Kagome a while ago!" Shippo piped up, his eyes wide.

"Then he has not yet found her. He probably won't, either. Kagome is being held captive in Naraku's castle," Kikyo told them coldly.

Sango jumped up immediately. "Then we have to go and help Inuyasha find her!" Sango cried in alarm.

"It is pointless. Naraku has hidden his castle extremely well. I doubt Inuyasha has found it," Kikyo told her calmly.

Sango was about to protest about the pointlessness of the matter, but Kikyo cut her off.

"Kagome is more than likely dead, and therefore, I wish to take her place among you as jewel seeker."

* * *

"KAEDE!" Inuyasha cried, running towards her. He had decided that the best thing to do would be to tell the others what had happened, and just then he saw Kaede crossing his path.

"Kaede, Kagome is—" Inuyasha began breathlessly, but Kaede cut him off.

"I know. There is no time to waste. We must tell the others immediately and see if anything can be done," Kaede said in a hurried voice.

Inuyasha bent down and Kaede got on his back, and off they hurried to the others. Inuyasha's heart was still pounding fiercely in his chest. His breathing was labored, as though icicles of fear had stabbed through his chest.

* * *

"Kikyo, you cannot replace Kagome. I know for a fact Inuyasha would not allow it," Miroku snapped at the clay doll.

"Why don't we ask him? Here he comes now…" Kikyo said loftily as Inuyasha leapt out of the forest and into view.

"INUYASHA! KAGOME DIDN'T GO HOME, SHE'S BEEN—"

"DAMNIT, I KNOW!" Inuyasha shouted at Shippo before he could finish. He skidded to a halt in front of the group and let Kaede off his back.

"Kikyo, what the fuck are you doing here?" Inuyasha growled at her. He was too nervous and afraid right now to have to deal with her.

"I am Kagome's replacement," she answered simply as she began to approach Inuyasha.

He glared at her. Suddenly he felt more hate for her than he had ever felt in his life. _Who the fuck does she think she is, trying to replace Kagome? Kagome's not even dead…is she?_

Kikyo was face to face with Inuyasha now, and she looked as though she were about to kiss him.

Full of anger, hate, fear and sorrow, Inuyasha pulled his arm back…

…and struck Kikyo in the face.

* * *

**A/N:** That was the longest chapter I've ever written for any story ever. BE GRATEFUL. And review, of course! 


	6. Enter Natsu and Kanna's Discovery

_**Dark Kuuchuu**_

* * *

**A/N:** I bet you're all furious with me, aren't you? My family and I moved from Massachusetts to Florida and it took us almost three months to get settled. During that time, I had no access to a computer. Sorry! 

But, to make up for it, I'll try to make the chapter nice and long and descriptive. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Inuyasha.

**

* * *

**

**CHAPTER SIX:** **Enter Natsu and Kanna's Discovery**

She sat down at the well to rest, the sun setting slowly over the horizon. She sat quietly, and her searching blue eyes took in her surroundings. There was a faint whisper of wind that tickled her skin; the grass was swaying gently. The world around her was so tranquil.

She only wished she could enjoy it.

Inuyasha, obviously, was not here. Kanna could not have expected him to linger in one place long enough for her to catch him.

She sighed and stood up once more, her legs aching with tiredness as her body begged her to sit down again.

She leaned against the well, wondering where she ought to look for Inuyasha next. She knew that the later she stayed out, the more danger she was in, because she had a large piece of the jewel, and demons would do anything to get their hands on it.

Kanna's legs were practically asleep, so she decided to stretch a little before walking again. She hoisted herself up on the edge of the well and began to swing her legs up and down. She giggled and began to enjoy herself, swinging her legs up higher and higher.

It was the first time Kanna had ever laughed…and it was a funny feeling. So, she did it again. She continued to kick her legs up and down, laughing, and for a moment, forgot that Kagome was possibly dead, forgot that she was still on the run from Naraku.

It only took one kick that was too high. Kanna's foot swung above her head, and suddenly, she lost her balance. The laughter stopped and turned into a cry of surprise as Kanna fell backward into the well, with half of the shikon jewel still clutched in her tiny, slender fingers.

* * *

"_No one can ever replace Kagome," _he growled. His eyes were practically aflame with anger. "Whether she's dead or alive, you will never replace her. No one will." 

A bird chirped somewhere off in the distance, crying out a quiet, almost mournful song. Aside from the bird, the crowd of people who had just seen Inuyasha backhand Kikyo was quiet.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, a red mark on her cheek from the sting of his hand. She looked almost confused, as if she couldn't decide whether to cry, laugh and make a snide remark, or hit him in return.

Before she had a chance to do anything, however, Inuyasha was gone. He had darted into the woods quicker than Kikyo had ever seen him run before. She did not call out to him as he ran away. There was no point to it. Inuyasha's heart belonged to someone else now. Not Kikyo.

* * *

She couldn't move. She felt paralyzed and nauseas. Even if she could move, she wouldn't want to for fear that she might vomit. 

She tried hard to think about where she was or what had happened, but memory failed her. She was in someplace soft and warm, and she wanted to stay there forever. She slowly curled up, allowing the blanket to become a cocoon.

_Blanket?_

Kagome opened her eyes. She was in her room.

_How am I in my room? I thought I was in the Feudal Era._

And at that thought, memories came rushing back. Inuyasha kissing Kikyo, Naraku kissing Kagome, Kagome giving Kanna the jewel, Naraku trying to rape Kagome, Kagome drowning.

So how the hell did she end up in her room?

_Maybe Inuyasha saved me before Naraku had a chance to finish me off, _Kagome thought. _Or maybe…maybe Inuyasha didn't come to the rescue. Maybe I'm dead, and this is what my heaven looks like._

"You're awake. Are you alright?"

There was something hidden under the kind voice, something like malicious intent, but Kagome couldn't tell. She had no knowledge of who this boy was. She had never seen him before in her life.

Messy black bangs hung down into his eyes, but his eyes were definitely visible. They were a sharp lavender color that startled Kagome. He was handsome, thin, and looked about her age.

And those intense lavender eyes, with their thin black pupils, were staring right into Kagome's eyes.

"Who…..who are you?" Kagome asked, suddenly feeling intimated by this strange boy.

"My name is Natsu," he said calmly. "I, too, was a prisoner in Naraku's castle. I found Naraku preparing to drown you, and I was able to stop him and knock him unconscious. I brought you out of the castle, and into the woods, where I fell down this well. Judging how the scent of this room was similar to your scent, I figured that this was where you lived."

Kagome blinked as Natsu finished his story. Somehow she knew he was lying, but she couldn't think of why he should lie to her. She also noted his unusually long fingernails; judging from what he had said about scent; he was probably a demon.

"Before Naraku took me prisoner, I discovered this well into the future. I would come here often, learning about the customs of your people," he continued, still staring at her.

Kagome blinked again. Somehow she felt dazed and confused, as though what he was saying didn't make any sense at all.

"Okay…um… thank you?" Kagome said awkwardly. She had meant for it to be a statement, but it came out as a question. "Why… why would you want to rescue me, though?"

"Because you're beautiful," he replied casually. Kagome raised an eyebrow skeptically, but when she saw how sincere he looked, she blushed.

_He's serious! _Kagome thought.

"Th-thank you," Kagome stammered. She was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. This guy was just like Hojo, except for the fact that there was nothing awkward about Natsu. He was very sure of himself, and he seemed like the kind of person that wouldn't take no for an answer. Someone who had the powers of persuasion.

"I-I think I should go back to the Feudal Era to see how my friends are doing… they must be worried," Kagome said, standing up quickly.

But just as quickly, a firm hand grabbed her wrist.

"I know a lot more about you than you think," Natsu said quietly.

* * *

_Okay, so, let's see… I just slapped Kikyo, Kagome might be dead and it's my fault, what else… oh, yeah, this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't started feeling depressed and ran to Kikyo…_

Inuyasha had no idea what to do. Naraku and Kagome's scents were nowhere to be found. He was trying to make a mental list of reasons why he should just go kill himself now.

"Inuyasha!" called a voice above him. Inuyasha looked up to see none other than Kagura on her giant feather. She landed below him, underneath the tree in which he was perched, and opened her mouth, getting ready to ask a question. But Inuyasha cut her off.

In seconds, Inuyasha was standing in front of Kagura. He looked shaken, angry, and scared, and it showed in his voice.

"_Where in the name of hell is Naraku's castle?"_ he growled menacingly, although his voice shook.

"Listen carefully, Inuyasha," Kagura snapped. "Kanna showed me something a short time ago. Kagome has been imprisoned in Naraku's castle, and Naraku kissed her. Kagome got scared and gave Kanna the shikon jewel."

"EXCUSE ME?" Inuyasha cried, looking thoroughly alarmed.

"_I told you to listen, half-breed!_ Naraku is going to find me if I don't get to where I need to go, so I must make this quick!" Kagura said urgently. "Naraku tried to rape Kagome, but Kagome refused. Naraku threatened to kill her, and he probably did. But you don't need to worry."

"DON'T NEED TO WORRY? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Inuyasha screamed.

"The jewel is safe, Inuyasha! Kanna has it and she's looking for you! Just find Kanna and get the jewel. She has no interest in it whatsoever," Kagura said hurriedly, looking behind her should several times.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped.

"**DO YOU HONESTLY THINK I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE JEWEL RIGHT NOW?"**

Now it was Kagura's turn to look surprised. "You mean… you're worried about _Kagome!_" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I am!" Inuyasha cried desperately, his voice cracking. "Please, where's Naraku's castle?"

Kagura sighed. "I don't have time to give directions. Find Kanna," Kagura ordered as she tossed her feather into the air and watched it grow. "But I warn you, Inuyasha, don't expect to find Kagome alive."

And with that, Kagura flew off on a feather into the darkening sky.

* * *

Very slowly, Kanna looked through her shimmering white hair, looking up through the well, expecting to see a blue and pink sky. 

But that was not what she saw.

Instead, everything was black. Kanna could not even see her hands in front of her face. She felt around the sides of the well, looking for some kind of rock or foothold—and instead, she found a ladder made of rope.

Slowly, she grabbed on and began to climb upward. Her heart thudded in her chest as her fragile nose was bombarded with strange and new scents. She could smell a hint of Kagome in there somewhere, and it startled her.

_Perhaps this is some kind of passageway to heaven, where I can see Kagome…but how did I die? _Kanna wondered.

When she felt the edges of the well underneath her fingertips, she pulled herself up and climbed over the edge. A wooden floor greeted her bare feet.

Kanna began to feel frightened. There was no way she could still be in Inuyasha's Forest. The smell of trees did not even exist in this air, and Kagome coughed from the strong scents of smoke, among other things.

She could tell that she was in a room of some kind; she could see slivers of light coming into cracks in the walls.

She could see the outline of a door. Carefully and slowly, her eyes wide, her breath catching in her chest, she walked forward, getting closer to the door, afraid of what was on the other side.

But someone opened the door before she could.

* * *

**A/N**: I am sorry, dear readers, but I am pooped! I apologize for the big, fat cliffie. I need a break. I swear, I'll have another chapter up in a day or so! Please review! 


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